Can I use supplier photos and videos in listings?
Yes, if the rights holder's permission covers your intended use. Obtain a written licence tied to named files, evidence that the supplier can grant it, and clearance for included material such as music. Check marketplace use and editing before uploading. Discuss supplier evidence with Cambridge China Bridge.
Separate file delivery from permission
For UK listings, obtain permission to use copyright material. A supplier sending you a download folder is a starting point for checking rights, not an adequate clearance record. Ask for written permission identifying your business, the named files and the intended commercial use. Do not assume that paying for a shoot transfers copyright to you.
This guide concerns the permission trail for existing supplier assets. For shot lists, sample matching and visual approval, use our product photo brief and approval guide. Keep that approval separate from permission to publish.
Trace the supplier's authority
Ask who created each photograph or video, who currently owns the rights and why the supplier can authorise your use. Request relevant employment records, photographer or production agreements, signed transfers, or licences allowing the supplier to grant permission onward. For videos, ask about the producer and director as well as the person operating the camera.
Match the documents to filenames and preview images. Request original captures or project files as supporting evidence, but do not treat possession as proof of ownership. Search distinctive images online to flag possible copying. If another seller's branding appears, or the supplier cannot explain the source, hold publication. Copyright does not disappear because its owner cannot be found.
Agree a licence that fits marketplace use
Ask for a signed licence with an attached file schedule. Replace vague wording such as 'you may use our pictures' with the actual channels, territories, permitted edits and duration. Ask whether other buyers may use the same assets and whether permission continues after you stop ordering from the supplier.
Read the marketplace's current upload terms and send relevant clauses to the person granting permission. Ask for express agreement covering the platform's intended handling of the assets, including hosting, display, promotion and any onward permissions it asks you to grant. Have unclear wording reviewed before uploading; our UK seller supply terms guide explains how to collect and review agreed documents.
| Term | What to ask for |
|---|---|
| Channels and users | Named marketplaces, your seller accounts, website, advertising, agencies and retailers |
| Territory and duration | Where use is allowed, when permission starts and ends, renewal and termination arrangements |
| Edits and credit | Cropping, resizing, background removal, subtitles, voice replacement, video extracts and attribution |
| Platform permissions | Permission matching the rights you are asked to grant under the marketplace upload terms |
| Supplier relationship ends | Whether existing listings can remain, any sell-through use and how withdrawal is communicated |
Check everything inside the video or image
Ask for a component list covering music, sound recordings, stock footage, graphics, artwork and visible branding. Request the relevant permissions for your planned use, rather than a general assurance that the video is 'free to use'. Ask the supplier to identify material obtained from a stock library and provide the applicable licence terms.
For identifiable models, presenters or distinctive locations, request relevant releases and check that they match the proposed commercial use. Ask for a clean video without music or added graphics if those permissions are unclear. Commission replacement material when the permission trail cannot be resolved; changing the background or removing a watermark is not a clearance method.
Keep a publication evidence pack
Archive the original files, approved exports, file schedule, signed licence, ownership evidence, component permissions and correspondence together. Record which asset appears in each listing, the publication date and the person who approved it. Preserve creator information in the originals. Set reminders for licence expiry and recheck permission before adding a new channel or making edits outside the agreed scope.
If a complaint arrives, preserve the notice and the published version, consider pausing the disputed asset, and ask the supplier for the specific ownership documents behind its assurance. Seek advice before making a counterstatement. Agree in advance who will supply evidence, arrange replacement assets and handle claim costs. Cambridge China Bridge has its own staff in China to help buyers request supplier records.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use photos my Chinese supplier sends me?
Obtain written permission tied to the files and your intended use. Ask for evidence that the supplier owns the rights or can grant permission onward. Hold publication if the source is unclear.
Do I own product photos if I paid for them?
Do not assume so. Agree usage rights separately. If you want copyright transferred, obtain a written agreement signed by the copyright owner stating the transfer.
Can I use a supplier video with background music?
Ask for the music and recording permissions covering your planned commercial use. If the supplier cannot provide them, request a clean version and use separately cleared audio.
What proof should I keep for a marketplace complaint?
Keep the signed licence, named file schedule, ownership or onward permission documents, component clearances and correspondence. Link each published asset to that evidence pack.